Dead Liquidationism and the LivingRech

Published:Rabochaya PravdaNo. 10, July 24, 1913.

      Signed: P. Osipov.

      Published according to theRabochaya Pravdatext.Source:Lenin
	  Collected Works,

      Progress Publishers,1977,

      Moscow,Volume 19,

      pages285-287.Translated:The Late George HannaTranscription\Markup:R. CymbalaPublic Domain:Lenin Internet Archive

      (2004).You may freely copy, distribute,
	display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and
	commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
	Archive” as your source.•README

Thefirst issue of the liquidators’ newspaperZhivaya
			      Zhizn[1]carried an article by
L. M.[2]entitled “On an Old Theme”. We will leave until another
occasion the little tricks the enthusiastic author got up to in his haste
to “grab by the coat-tails” the Kautsky who argued with Rosa
Luxemburg. L. M. copies the worn-out method of the liberals—that of
exaggeratingthis sort ofdispute and depicting it as important in
principle by maintaining acomplete silenceon the position of the
German opportunists (reformists)!

Mr.L. M. likes holding Kautsky by the coat-tails, but when speaking of
“German Social-Democratic literature” he prefers not to mention—out of
modesty, no doubt—the extensive and, indeed, fundamentally important
literature put out by reformists related in type to L. M. andZhivaya
Zhizn.

Irepeat, this will be dealt with another time.

L.M.drags the Germans into Russian affairs by the hair, as the saying
goes. The first issue ofZhivaya Zhizninforms us of these affairs
through the lips of L. M.:

...withouta struggle for freedom of association
   “Russian workers cannot get out of the intolerable situation that dooms
   them to run like squirrels in a cage, to spend tremendous effort in
   periodical mass actions of one and the same kind that are rewarded
   neither by organisational growth nor a strengthening of the political
   positions gained”. The efforts of the advanced proletarians (writes
   L. M., outlining theideasof advancedliberals)
   should be directed toward “making the working class capable of giving
   battle and winning victories, not only in one-day strikes but also in
   all other possible fields”.

...withouta struggle for freedom of association
   “Russian workers cannot get out of the intolerable situation that dooms
   them to run like squirrels in a cage, to spend tremendous effort in
   periodical mass actions of one and the same kind that are rewarded
   neither by organisational growth nor a strengthening of the political
   positions gained”. The efforts of the advanced proletarians (writes
   L. M., outlining theideasof advancedliberals)
   should be directed toward “making the working class capable of giving
   battle and winning victories, not only in one-day strikes but also in
   all other possible fields”.

Thesewords contain the essence of the “theory” of the liquidators of
the working-class party. “Running like a squirrel in a cage”—those
words will become famous. They should be repeated in every issue ofZhivaya Zhizn, they should become the motto of its whole
trend. This is the “slogan” of the liquidators!

Inhis wisdom, L. M. probably regards making petitions as “other
fields” and not “running like a squirrel in a cage”? Then say so
straight out, don’t be ashamed, gentlemen!

Andhere you have the reallivenewspaper Rech—live be cause
it advocates not the dead doctrine of the liquidators but living class
interests (the interests of the bourgeoisie, of course, and not the
proletariat). Compare the passages fromZhivaya Zhiznof July 11
quoted above with the leading article inRechof July 6.

TheRechleading article declares that the working-class
movement in 1905 was “national, but in 1913 is a class movement” and with
ecstatic enthusiasm repeats the attacks made by the liquidators on the
“strike craze”, repeats the statement made by the liquidators that “the
workers can and must struggle for freedom of speech, assembly and
association by other more complicated [really?] political means and not by
strikes alone”.

Itstands to reason that the liberals, like L. M., maintain a modest
silence on precisely what “complicated” means they have in mind. The
liberals, on the other hand, say straight out that with the introduction of
freedom of association and so on, it will be possible, they are convinced,
“to conduct aserious struggleagainst the chaotic, casual
strikes that disorganise industry” (the sameRechleading
article).

Weshall permit ourselves only one remark—everybody has now
recognised the fact of a new wave of strikes, even purely economic
strikes. There is nothing more ridiculous and pitiful than to speak of them
as “casual”.

Theclass position of the liberals is clear. Any worker will
immediately understand their position, will immediately discern the
interests of the bourgeoisie in the vague phrases about “complicated”
methods. The livingRechexpresses the interests of the
bourgeoisie. Dead liquidationism inZhivaya Zhiznis helplessly
limping along behind theliberals and is unable to say anything clear and straight forward about
“other fields” and can only get angry and churn out abuse of the
“running like squirrels in a cage” variety....

Anoteworthy and at the same time shameful slogan that the liquidators
have descended to!

[1]Literally,“Living Life”.—Ed.

[2]L.M.—L. Martov, one of the Menshevik leaders.